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Chris Waller To Be Inducted Into USA Gymnastics Hall Of Fame

UCLA women' gymnastics assistant coach Chris Waller and former UCLA gymnast Scott Keswick have been chosen for induction into the USA Gymnastics Hall of Fame.

One of the United States' all-time gymnastics greats, Waller was a member of the National team from 1989-97 and captured the U.S. all-around crown in 1991 and pommel horse titles from 1991-93. He was an all-around finalist at the 1992 Olympic Games in Barcelona and took fifth on the pommel horse, just one-tenth of a point away from the gold medal. In addition, Waller placed in the Top 6 on the pommel horse at the 1993 World Championships and won three medals at the 1990 Goodwill Games and a team gold at the 1995 Pan American Games.

At UCLA, Waller earned four All-America honors and helped the Bruins capture the NCAA title in 1987. He also won individual titles on the pommel horse in 1989 and the high bar in 1990. As a first-year assistant coach for the women's gymnastics team in 2003, he helped lead UCLA to the NCAA championship, the Bruins' third in four years.

'When I found out about this, the thing that struck me most was that it made me reflect on so many more people who helped me achieve the things I did,' said Waller. 'This has provided me a chance to thank those people and to understand that no matter how successful an individual is, it has to do with the people who helped support that person.'

Keswick was a teammate of Waller's both at UCLA and at the 1992 Olympics and two World Championships. Keswick was the 1994 U.S. all-around, rings and high bar champion, the 1991 rings, vault and parallel bars champion and a four-time (1989-91, 1994) champion on the still rings. He won the 1992 U.S. Olympic Trials and was the highest American finisher at the 1992 Olympics (19th) and the 1991 and 1993 World Championships (10th and ninth, respectively). He also scored a rare perfect 10.0 at the 1992 McDonald's American Cup on rings.

At UCLA, Keswick captured two NCAA titles (1991 parallel bars and 1992 rings) and earned eight All-America honors. In 1992, he became only the second UCLA athlete to receive the Nissen Award, collegiate gymnastics' highest honor.

The USA Gymnastics Hall of Fame Induction Ceremony will take place August 23 at 11:45 am at the Anaheim Convention Center Ballroom. Other nominees are Bonnie Davidson, Harold Holmes, Jr., Charles Lakes, Shannon Miller and Jaycie Phelps.